Annie's Biggest Secret
by Covert Affairs Intelligence
Summary: This just popped into my mind a while ago. It's highly unlikely but I still thought I could make. Please review and let me know if I should continue. So what if Annie's biggest secret isn't her heart condition?
1. Chapter 1

What if Annie has been keeping her big secret for longer than people thought?

I love working with Annie's past and specifically all the things we don't know about it. This is a little Far fetched but just try to wrap your head around it.

Ryan and Annie had both gotten home later in the day and we're currently sharing pizza. Ryan a beer, and Annie a water. They had some music playing but McQuaid turned it down to ask her.

"Out of all this work you've done the last few years what do you think is the biggest secret you currently have kept?"

"I would say it's a secret that I've had for much longer than just the last six years."

"Which is?"

Annie set her pizza down, "if I tell you it stays between us, no one knows about this expect Danielle and Michael so this has to be top secret."

"Yea, yah, I got it, so what is this so called secret?"

"There's no easy way to say this, I've been trying to tell someone for over sixteen years and still haven't been able to get it right."

"Annie, sixteen years that's a long time. What could possibly be that important."

"Chloe Brooks, my niece, is my biological daughter. Uh..."

She saw Ryan visible freeze for a moment, "wait, what?!"

"You heard me. When I was 15 I got pregnant and I knew I couldn't tell me dad because he would freak and quite literally kill me. Mom was dead and she couldn't help him understand. He would've made me get an abortion.

So when I found out I thought about things for a few days, talked to Danielle, and then came to live with her. At that point her and Michael had been trying to have a baby for a little while, and we came to this agreement.

For the first five or so years I took care of Chloe and went to school full time like I was almost her mom, then when Katia came along Danielle became a stay at home mom, and I wasn't needed as much.

Anyway the reason you don't know is because Danielle wanted to sign the birth certificate but she wasn't allowed. There was an original with my name on but even before the baby was born we had paid for them to legally adopt her.

And then it was still on my record, but when I turned 18 I had a friend expunge it even though it was technically some what illegal."

"So your telling me your a mom?"

"No, well, somewhat. I'm a mother by DNA, but I didn't raise her. I haven't even seen her in almost 2 years. And a mother is the the one that takes care of the child, and that wasn't me."

"Did you want to though?"

"At first not really, but when I got into college and Danielle started taking in more responsibilities and she started saying words like mommy and she called Danielle mommy I was pretty upset. But Danielle loved Chloe more than I ever thought possible, and I wasn't about to ruin that. So over time, more so after Katia was born, those thoughts faded away and I really was just Chloe's aunt."

"Wow..." Ryan mustered up after a few moments, "I, I would say that a 18 year old secret is pretty big, and long to be having something like that in your thoughts."

"I made a video," Annie said feeing safe spilling some of her deepest secrets to Ryan, "when I was pregnant. I made a video and Danielle made one and we explained why we did what we did, and how. And over the years we added small things to it... So that way when she found out she wouldn't think we did it because we didn't care about her or weren't thinking of her."

"When's the last time you added to it," He looked up from his plate.

"In those 3 months that after I killed... Him and when I came back to DC."

"So more recently then I figured. Do you still plan on telling her?"

Annie rolled her eyes, "oh of course I do. And I'll wear a ghost costume while I'm at it. Surprise Chloe in not only back from the dead but, guess what, I'm her mother by blood."

"I didn't mean it like that."

Annie sighed, "I know, but maybe, I just I want to tell her soon. I told Danielle I would tell her when she was 16, and clearly that didn't happen."

"I could help you know. I don't know how but I would be willing to."

"And your, your okay with all this?" Annie asked apprehensively.

"To an extent, no, not completely, but in the past we've all done some different things that are not that great, and we move on. Your right it was a long time ago, and your changed."

"Thank your for being so understanding, with everything?"

Ryan just nodded, "so where do we start?"


	2. Chapter 2

_"Annie do you mind watching her?" Danielle asked._

 _The small infant looked peaceful in the bassinet set near Annie where she was writing an English paper._

 _"Of course," She replied reaching to the baby, and thinking twice about arousing her, just setting her hand on the edge of the bassinet._

 _A while after Dani left Annie put the paper up for the night. And gently picked the nearly 3 month old baby from the cradle. Gosh, she couldn't believe that this life had actually came from her. Just the thought practically made tears spring to her eyes._

 _The little baby had soft features, but was developing more definite ones by the day. She didn't look too much like Annie but anyone could still see the resemblance in their nose and eyes._

 _Because Danielle took care of her in the day this was Annie real connection time, and she loved just holding her in her arms for hours._

 _"I love you, yea, I do," She cooed to the baby that had awoken getting fussier by the minute. Right on schedule Annie thought getting up to make the bottle._

 _She could only hope that this was the right thing, as in giving her baby to her sister._

 _Even though she had always thought Danielle would do a much better job at raising her Annie had learned a lot about motherhood in the last few months._

 _She hated to call it motherhood. I'm not really her mother, Annie reminded herself. She couldn't think like that because she didn't want to get more attached than she already was._

 _Danielle was only 22, she still had a lot of party left in her, and Annie was more than grateful to babysit for free._

 _Michael who Dani had met at a party the previous year had moved about two hours away to work._

 _Yet Annie knew there would be a day that they would both be the sole care takers of her, the, baby, and she just needed to accept that._

 _She was brought back to the baby by the shriek in her arms. "Hey, hey shh, shh" Annie brought Chloe closer to her chest and began bouncing, she quieted in a few seconds. "See that's not so bad?" She asked as she retrieved the bottle. Double checking to make sure it wasn't too hot even though she knew it wasn't._

 _Around 1 am Annie retired to the couch and placed the baby in her crib. Danielle had decided for the baby to not sleep I the guest house but only in the real house._

 _Which even though deep down Annie didn't like she just kept reminding herself that Dani was calling the shots on this._

 _She stayed in the nursery for a few minutes to make sure Chloe wasn't stirring._

"I still can't come to terms with the fact no one ever found out." Mc Quaid said.

"Well, no one ever did so," Annie left it hanging in the air because Joan and Arthur reached the table at the restaurant.

"Are you gonna tell them?" He asked.

"Tell us what?" Arthur asked excitedly like hearing the newest gossip would make his day.

She just rolled her eyes, but Joan seemed to know Annie as keeping something pretty big, yet still didn't comment on it.

They talked briefly of work, about Mack, Annie and her future with her family, McQuaids family, plans for New Years, and caught up well.

Ryan nudged Annie's foot under the table.

She squinted her eyes at him and her forehead wrinkled. She leaned in to him while the other two parties were not paying attention and whispered, "it's not really something you say over dinner."

He replied with, "it's not something you say anywhere, but you know that if we have this relationship between us and them to work it needs to be said."

"Guys," Annie said more authoritatively than she had meant to, and both pairs of eyes snapped on her.

"Okay, so I'm not one hundred percent sure where to begin, but in simple terms I have something pretty big to tell you."

"Like?" Joan lead with.

"Like... Like Teo big," Annie referenced the son that Arthur had never spoke of, " I uh... I got pregnant when I was sixteen, and I had a daughter that I've told the whole world was my niece. And that's my biggest secret, but I told McQuaid and he thought I should tell you, and so there it is." Annie really wanted to continue she felt like rambling her head off.

Arthur's jaw literally dropped, and Joan did a double take, "really?" and "seriously?" Where spoke simultaneously.

Annie just nodded clearly they need some time to apprehend this.


	3. Chapter 3

Annie had walked them through the story almost the same way she had McQuaid. This was with facts and not feelings and truths.

They again didn't comment to much, but kept peaceful through dinner occasionally both feeling a slight uncomfortableness.

Annie felt like the whole thing had went about as well as it could go, which was not good at all.

"Would you like anything for dessert?" A waiter came to ask.

"It's on me" Ryan nodded in direction of Joan and Arthur.

"We'll share the number 3 on the brownie menu."

"Anything else I can get you?" The waiter ask, then directed his question toward Annie, "Do you need more water?"

Annie looked up thoughtfully, "Could I get a beer instead?"

"Do you have a preference on the brand?"

"No, just whatever you have."

"Why beer, at 2 in the afternoon?" McQuaid asked.

"Eh, why not?"

"Well... Okay."

Annie would have been having a shot of tequila if she could, but she thought that really would have been a bit excessive while dining with her current and ex bosses.

Mainly just because talking about her daughter still effected her more than anyone would ever know. The more she opened up about it the more guilty she felt for the last 16 years.

 _"Annie!" Danielle let out in distress shaking her shoulder. Annie blinked open her eyes and saw the shadow of the 5 month old baby in her older sisters arms, and suddenly became acutely aware of how loud the infant was screaming._

 _Danielle, who Annie had always assumed had the most innate maternal instincts of anyone she had ever met, and had been caring for Annie since she was 12, looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack._

 _It took Annie less than a minute to get out of bed, gently take the baby with its blanket out of Danielle's hands, and lead her sister back into the kitchen._

 _"Dani calm down, what's going on?"_

 _Even before she had said it Annie knew from the hot, wailing baby laying on her shoulder the little girl was definitely sick with a fever._

 _"She's been crying for over an hour, she has a fever, a-and I think we should take her to the emergency room.. I-I don't know," Her older sister let out, trying to refrain from hyperventilating._

 _Annie thought briefly, "Why don't you go lay and calm down for a minute, and let me see what I can do?"_

 _Dani nodded, complying. Annie was always the better one under pressure._

 _"Oh baby," Annie cradled her head standing up to walk and bounce, "you're okay, shh." Her eyes darted to the clock that said 1:47am._

 _She wasn't sure what exactly was wrong with Chloe but she wouldn't be finding out unless she got her to calm down._

 _Continuing to whisper gentle nothings and bounce Annie walked into the nursery and found the pacifier. Even though the baby had it in her mouth she was still whining, but her shrieking had ceased._

 _Finding the thermometer, and getting her temperate of 100.5 Annie decided if it wasn't better in the morning then they would handle it, for now the baby just needed some sleep._

 _She laid on the couch and the moment they quit moving crying began again. So she got back up and rocked and bounced again. Checking on Dani to find her asleep._

 _Annie gave her baby a small smile. She liked being able to do these things. Around 2:45 finally the baby eased into a small slumber. Annie not wanting to risk another episode stayed still in the rocking chair also dozing off a little._

 _She was awoken at 4:30 by a small whine and the girl tugging at her ear. Repositioning her so that she was laying on her side in Annie's arms with said ear against Annie's side away from the air Chloe quieted down. Annie sighed, her ear was bothering her._

"Ma'am," She snapped her head toward the young man holding her drink.

"Sorry, thank you," She replied, taking it. The look McQuaid gave her not going unnoticed.

"You've been in dream land a while now," Arthur commented.

Annie narrowed her eyes at him.

Joan, who had been particularly quite the whole time, broke in "Well what was it..." At that point her phone began ringing.

"I'll be right back" Joan stepped out of their private dinner room onto the balcony.

Annie caught the glimpse of Barbers number on the phone, so she had a good idea of what the call was about. They had been working on a side case for a while, and Eric was suppose to finishing it up this weekend.

"What was it about?" The guy on her left said.

"Nothing important, Ryan," She said simply.

"Oh, got it," He noticed how intense she had been. How into it she was, but in a strange peaceful way. Not like with how scared, lost, and tense it had been when she would think of Henry. She was thinking about her niece he assumed.

TBC: Please review


	4. Chapter 4

I dont know if anyone reads these anymore, but if so please sit back and enjoy this ride. It get a little crazy but overall I hope you like it. Please let me know!

The four had went on a walk around town to help burn off the food that they had consumed.

"This is so pretty," Joan pointed to an antique, stained vase.

Arthur nodded, and Ryan replied, "I really like that one to," reffering to a small glass bottle with the same royal blue color and texture.

Annie was going to comment, but she heard a distinctly familar voice near the back of the store. She refrianed from snapping her head up, but her eyes darted to the corner. There on a barstool was her daughter laughing at some boy. Isn't she suppose to be in California?

Annie quickly worked the math in her head. When she "died" Chloe was around 15, it had been almost two years. Chloe was a head of her class and on track to graduate early. It was very likely that she had moved back to DC for college to be with friends.

She adverted her gaze to some flowers in the corner and joined in on the conversation about couches that her friends were discussing. She wasn't entirely aware of what she was sprouting out about them, but she needed a distraction.

None of them, being the spies that they were, even seemed to notice her momentary attention lapse. They didn't bat an eyelash or turn to see what had got her off track.

The boy, about 19, had a sharp jaw line, black hair, and a sunkissed tan. He was model status. And he was also approaching, "Can I help you find anything?" His didn't sound like someone from DC. Annie noticed a mix of cultures in that.

Annie was about to jump in with a no, but Arthur beat her too it, "Actually this was a while ago but we bought a coffee table. it was white rustic, and there was an end table to go with it. I was just wondering if you may still have that."

Joans head moved slightly like she was remembering that also.

The boy thought for a minute, "I'll go check in the back, that sounds familiar. I'm Devin by the way. If you want to meet me at the checkout or take a seat on those couches feel free."

They slowly made there way to the check out desk giving the guy time to look in the back. They were near the front looking at post card from various countries, and Annie occasionally sneaked a glance at Chloe. Chloe sat on a bar stool against the wall, behind the coutner. At first she wasn't one hundred percent sure, but now up close she was.

The girl was immersed in her phone, but not so much that she didn't notice her surrounding. She had looked up and similed at them when they got in the vicinity.

When the Devin came back to inform them that the table was no longer there, but that he could order it if they were interested, the presumed Chloe got up and went into the back part of the building. Past the employess only sign. It didn't seem like she worked there though.

Joan announced that they wanted it, and were given a short form to complete.

"This is a nice place," Ryan commented to the guy.

"Its was my grandmothers, but she passed away about 3 months ago so I've been trying to hold the fort down," He replied.

"Sorry about your lose," Ryan replied creating conversation with ease.

"What was her name?" Annie inquired at the same time that Joan and Arthur handed the guy the papers. He began typing into a computer.

"Linda Walters," He didn't look up from the screen.

It dawned on Annie, "I knew that you looked familiar. Your grandfather taught at West Point."

Devin nodded, "William died when I was ten. Did you know them?"

"He was my fathers colleague. Your grandmother used to make my sister and I dinner when we were 5 or 6. Your father was then in the army with mine," She explained.

"My Dad left the army when I was one or two, so I probably don't know where that was," He admitted.

"I was only 8 or 9, and you probably weren't born until I was almost out of high school, so I wouldn't expect you to. How is he?"

Devin nodded, "uh. Hes okay, I guess. Some days are better than others. He has a team of psychiatrist's. They won't let him travel and he gets furious with them because he wants to go 'see the world.' He got a little crazy a few years ago. Shot up a convientent store because they were selling drugs or something," He paused and shook his head, "I see him for an hour once a week so that he can explain crazy conspiracies to me."

Annie just nodded. Devin continued, " They don't think its from the army or anything like that. They really aren't sure what happened, but they think it has something to do with early alzheimer's. What about yours?"

"He's in a nursing home or something. I haven't seen him in almost ten years."

"Why?"

Annie shook her head, "You don't really wanna know, its not pretty."

"Well thank you two for filling out the form. I'll call you when it can be picked up. And its nice to meet you. What was the name?" He stared at Annie, Chloe had emerged from the back a while ago.

Jessica, Helen, that code name from Barcelona. She took a breath, maybe it would be fine. Its not like Chloe would try to pick up on her dead aunts name.

"Annie," She replied not offering a last. He continued waiting as if he was expecting more, "Annie Walker."

At that Chloe slowly lifted her head up to pay the blonde some attention. She didn't dare look up.

Ryan, Joan, and Arthur had ventured to the book section about 4 feet to the left. Clearly still hearing Annies conversation. Then noticing that Annie was wrapping up the conversation they had come and stoof by her side again.

Although they did not expect what was about to unfold, none of them did.

At the announcment of 'Walker' Devin threw a look over his shoulder at the apparent girlfriend. With a sharp intake of breath Chloe stuttered, "Your, your, " Her lips fought to work, "your my aunt."

"Your suppose to be dead," Devin let out under his breath. This had just went from 0 to 100 real quick.

The next millisecond felt like a lifetime. A million pictures flashed in front of her mind. Come up with something.

Linda Walter was half American, half Isrealian. Her eyes wandered to the pictures behind the counter. She could either be right or wrong.

"Yes, your right I am. How do you Ari?" She attempted to swerve the conversation. Her head pointed in the direction of the picutre that featured a boy and soccer ball.

"How do you know him?" Chloe shot back. Still very intense. Annie just need to dismiss the girls nerves, and then she could get the boat safely back to shore.

"His dad is one of my friends, a really good friend. Do you know his Dad?"

Devin nodded in reply, "He is my second or third cousin. I'm not very close to him, but Ari and I talk all the time."

"Well isn't the world just a small place after all," She was going off of charm now. Nice flashy smile, twinkling eyes.

"How are you alive?" Chloe deadpanned. Small wave in the ocean.

"Someone wanted to hurt me, I disappeared to keep them from it," She said as much as she could. But Annie didn't know how much Chloe knew.

Chloe nodded, "So were you ever planning on being my aunt again?"

Annie was taken back. Number one, Chole wasn't hung up on this whole dead idea. Number two, she seemed accepting. Thats not normal. Annie was calling the bluff.

She squinted here eyes going back and forth between the two. The other three surrounding Annie were also a little speechless. Annie glanced around, double checking that no one was in the store.

She crossed her arms back over her chest, she had the upper hand. "No, no no. What do you know and who do you know it from?"

"What?" Chloe said over dramactically, clear actress.

"Don't act like that. Your bluffing, you knew that I was alive. You have had time to accept it. Where did the intel come from?"

Both shut up quickly, finally Chloe let out the hushed information, "I work for the FBI, and Devin works for Mossad. We both have low level clearance, we had to pull lots of strings to find out the very little we know. Meeting you was one hundred percent coincedence though. And so was the connection to Linda and Eyal."

"Chloe," Devin scolded, "the others..."

She intervened, "Annie trusts them. If Annie trusts them then they know. And its not the first time I've seen you all together. I came to Ryans New Year party with a friend. I've known for months."

Devin persisted, "Still thats not smart. Letting out stuff like that can get you killed."

"Its my aunt, the ex-dcs, a covert worker, and a private sector owner if they are going to kill us then who knows what the real bad guys would do."

"Devins right," Annie intersected, "most of the bad guys were good guys at some point."

"We really need to get going, " Ryan also chimed in looking at his watch. What was suppose to be fifteen minutes had turned into thirty five.

Annie and Chloe exchanged phone numbers promising to talk later. Annie was really hoping to tell Chloe the truth about where she came from.

The only thing that Annie didn't know is that Chloe had more secrets than she let on...

TBC


End file.
